Global Category Manager - Food

Our client, a global food manufacturing company, is seeking a Global Category Manager – Food to join their Procurement team. This role will be responsible for setting and executing the global strategy for edible oils across the organization’s product portfolio. The Global Category Manager will maximize global value by developing long-term category strategies, building strong supplier partnerships, and ensuring a resilient, cost-competitive supply base.

While accountable for global strategy, this role will also provide hands-on support for North America, the company’s largest region, including sourcing execution, supplier management, and risk mitigation. This position is ideal for a strategic procurement leader who can navigate complex global supply markets, collaborate cross-functionally, and drive meaningful commercial outcomes.

Global Category Manager Responsibilities:

• Develop and lead the global category strategy for edible oils, ensuring long-term value creation, resilient supply, sustainability, and alignment with business priorities

• Identify global sourcing opportunities, operational efficiencies, scale levers, and innovation pathways

• Build and maintain strong strategic supplier partnerships across the global oils supply base

• Lead global negotiations and commercial agreements where centralized scale provides value

• Monitor global market dynamics, commodity cost drivers, regulatory issues, and supply chain risks, translating insights into actionable recommendations

• Partner with Commodity Risk Management to align procurement strategies with hedging, risk mitigation tools, and exposure management

• Lead North America sourcing events including RFPs, bid analysis, negotiation, and contract execution

• Manage day-to-day supplier performance including quality, service, OTIF, and issue resolution with manufacturing plants

• Own North America cost management including PPV tracking, budgeting/forecasting, cost drivers, and financial reporting

• Provide real-time market insights and recommend tactical actions to mitigate supply, cost, or continuity risks in North America

• Maintain contract governance, pricing updates, and master data accuracy within ERP systems (e.g., SAP)

• Drive savings and productivity initiatives aligned with operational needs and global category strategy

• Lead supplier relationship management activities including QBRs, performance scorecards, and improvement plans

• Collaborate with regional buyers across global regions to translate category strategy into practical regional execution

• Partner cross-functionally with R&D, Quality, Sustainability, Supply Chain, and Operations on innovation, reformulation, and risk reduction initiatives

Global Category Manager Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, Agribusiness, or related field required

• MBA or advanced degree preferred

• 5–7+ years of procurement, category management, or commodity-related experience within food, CPG, agribusiness, or edible oils

• Demonstrated experience developing and executing category strategies

• Strong supplier management, negotiation, and commercial skills

• Experience working within global or multi-regional environments preferred

• Strong understanding of commodity cost drivers and risk mitigation approaches

• Strong analytical and financial acumen with the ability to translate data into actionable insights

• Ability to manage complex supplier relationships and influence stakeholders across multiple levels

• Highly organized with the ability to prioritize across multiple initiatives in a fast-paced environment

• Collaborative, solutions-oriented team player with strong communication skills

Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to reviewing your resume!

Pay Range: $140,000 – $160,000 (depending on experience)
Benefits include: medical, dental, and vision as well as additional company benefits.

LaSalle Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer m/f/d/v.

LaSalle Network is the leading provider of direct hire and temporary staffing services. For over two decades, LaSalle has helped organizations hire faster and connect top talent with opportunities, from entry-level positions to the C-suite. With units specializing in Accounting and Finance, Administrative, Marketing, Technology, Supply Chain, Healthcare Revenue Cycle, Call Center, Human Resources and Executive Search, LaSalle offers staffing and recruiting solutions to companies of all sizes and across all industries. LaSalle Network is the premier staffing and recruiting firm, earning over 100 culture, revenue and industry-based awards from major publications and having its company experts regularly contribute insights on retention strategies, hiring trends and hiring challenges to national news outlets.